avery



July 28, 1942.

H. T. AVERY CALCULATING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 22, 1940- F I ELL 3/ 579 ..OOQQ6, Qd QQ.QOQQQQQQQ July '28, 1942. H. T. AVERY I CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1940 7,Shee ts Sheet 2 y T. E 2 WA T D H mm H i-----.r 3 w. it

ATTORNEY y 1 1942- H. T. AVERY 2,291,135

CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. HAA OLD TAVE/ZY ATTORNEY H. T. AVERY CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Jan, 22, 1940 J ly 23, 1942.

7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. /'/Al?0l.0 [AVE/2r ATTORNEY y 28, 1941 H. T. AVERY CALCULATiNG MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 I INVENTOR. HAROLD TAVEEY WM ATT RNEY Filed Jan. 22, 1940 y 23, 1942- H. T. AVERY CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1940 '7 Sheets-Sheet '7 FIG. 1

INVENTOR. ff/ 5901.0 TAVEQY ATTORNEY Patented July 28, 1942 l CALCULATING MACHINE Harold '1. Avery, Oakland, Calm, asslgnor to Merchant t'lalculating Machine (Company, a corporation of (Calliomia Application January 22, 19%, Serial No. 315,6)55

12 Claims.

issued on January 28, 1941; the Avery patent application Serial Number 702,949, filed December eighteenth, 1933, and since matured into Patent Number 2,211,736, issued on August 13,

1940; and the Avery patent application Serial Number 84,927, filed June twelfth, 1936, to which applications reference may be had for a disclosure of the complete calculating machine including mechanism not specifically disclosed herein.

The principal object of the invention is to enable various registers mounted on a shiftable carriage of a calculating machine or the like to be cleared by keys mounted on a stationary portion of the machine.

It is a further object to return the numeral wheels of a register to zero in a minimum length of time while reducing-the tendency of damage to the various parts of the register due to momentum or inertia.

It is a further object to prevent displacement of the numeral wheels of a. register from their zero positions during a zeroizing operation after they have once been returned to zero.

It is a further object to prevent damage to the mechanisms in the event that interference between a zeroizing mechanism and an accumulator mechanism occurs during zeroizing operation.

It is a further object to obviate the necessity of accurately aligning the various clearing mechanisms, individual to the difierent numeral wheels of this type of structure, with each other to enable a common clearing operation of all of the wheels.

It is a further object to vary the leverage ratio effective in the system connecting the zeroizing mechanism of a register to a source of power, in

such a manner that the mechanical advantage efiective in the system increases approximately in proportion to the increase in the load imposed upon the zeroizing mechanism in the register, so as to reduce the maximum force that must be exerted at the source of power in order to effect zeroizing.

It is a further object to simplify and render compact the elements of a register zeroizing mechanism.

Other objects will appear during the following detailed description of a preferred form of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodying the present invention and showing the various control keys and a shiftable carriage carrying accumulator and counting registers,

Figure 2 is a front view of the carriage, a portion of the cover being broken away to show the registering mechanism therein.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the carriage and is taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing the mechanism for rocking the clearing shafts of the carriage.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figures 5, 7, 8, and 9 are transverse sectional .views taken through the carriage to illustrate the construction of the accumulator registering mechanism, the sections being taken so as to bring out the interaction and relationship between certain of the parts.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating the yieldable clear lever.

Figure 10 is an enlarged front view, partially in section, of two connected dial assemblies, illustrating the manner of construction thereof.

Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view 01. the dial assembly.

Figure 12 is a right side view,-partially in section, of mechanism for clearing the registering mechanism.

Figure 13 is a rear view of a portion of the power transmission mechanism and its control and is taken substantially on the line l3-l3 of Figure Figure 14 is a schematic view showing the motor'and its connection to the various clutches of the machine. I

Figure 15 is a detailed sectional view of one of the irreversible clear clutches.

Calculating machines of the general type disclosed in the above mentioned applications, such as the commercially known Marchant calculating machines to which these applications relate, comprise a main frame in which keyboard controlled value selecting and actuating mechanism is mounted, together with variou operation controlling keys, and a transversely shiftable carriage in which accumulator mechanism and counting mechanism is mounted.

Amounts set up on the keyboard are entered into the accumulator either additively or subtractively upon operation of the actuating mechanism, the number of times the set up amount is entered being totaled by the counting mechanism. At the conclusion of a computation either or both of these registers may be reset to zero, or "cleared by the mechanism hereinafter described in detail.

Registering mechanism In the present machine the accumulator registering mechanism is mounted on a shiftable carriage 255 (Figures 1 and 2), transversely shiftable into different operating positions on the main body portion or frame I55 of the machine. The frame of the carriage comprises end plates 25I (Figures 2 and 3) connected by a formed top plate 252, having apertures to receive lugs 255 on the end plates 25l and secured at its forward end by screws 254 which extend into the end plates.

Mounted at even intervals between the two end plates 25! are a series of carriage brace plates 255 (Figures 2 and 9) having lugs 26I pro- Jecting through spaced slots in the top plate 252.

The forward end of plate 252 is notched to interlock with notches in the brace plates 255 and to provide extension 256 (Figure 8) fitting between adjacent brace plates 255. This forward end of plate 252 enters the notches in brace plates 255 in such a manner as to support the forward ends thereof. Screws 255 (Figure 5) secure ears on some of the brace plates to the top plate 252. Locked spacing combs 263 (Figures 5 and 7) extend through spaced slots in each brace plate and are locked in place by rods 254. A retaining comb 255 suitably secured to the top plate 252 spaces the rear edge of the plates 255 and underlies lugs 2655 on'said plates in such a manner as to support the rear end of the plates 255.

Supported by the several brace plates 255, is a cross rod 262 which serves as a pivotal support for a series of plates 266 (Figure 5), one of which is mounted on said rod 262 adjacent each of the carriage brace plates 255. These plates 266 are spaced and braced adjacent their forward ends by two combs 261 interlocking with slots in each plate 255 and held in place by rods 265, and are connected at their rear ends by a common bail 265 known as the dipping ball," by means'of which the entire body of .plates 266 can be simultaneously rocked about shaft 262 during operations completely described in the above Avery patent application Serial Number 84,927, in which description the mechanism supported by said plates 266 is referred to as the dipping carriage."

The units of the accumulator or product register are assembled on a shaft 215, supported by plates 266, there being one of such plates 266 between each adjacent unit. Each unit is adapted to be driven by a gear I55 of the actuator gear units, also described in the aforesaid application, with which intermediate gears 21! (Figure 5) rotatably mounted on a shaft 212 and entrained with gears 213 of the several accumulator units, may be meshed by lowering the dipping carriage. Suitable clearances are provided on the several plates 266 to permit the necessary connections between the orders of the accumulator for effecting tens transfer or carry operation. 5

Referring more particularly to Figures 10 and 11, it will be noted that each accumulator unit comprises a spider 214 which is rigidly secured to a sleeve 216, rotatably mounted on the shaft 215.

This spider 214 carries an internal ring gear 216 on its right side, which is spot welded or riveted to an offset portion 211 formed on each of the spider arms. A right angular extension 215 of one of said arms projects toward the right from said spider. sli htly beyond the right side face of a thin shell 215 fixed to the spider 214 and the internal gear 216 thereon, and serves to stop the dial in a zero position when it abuts the shelf 554 of a rockable lever 555 (Figure 7) during the resetting operations as described hereinafter. The periphery of the shell 215 is sufilciently wide to accommodate the digits ranging from zero to nine," arranged as shown.

Integrally formed on the sleeve 215, surrounding said shaft 215, is a sun gear 255 abutting one of the brace plates 266, and interposed between said sun gear 255 and the spider 214, is a snail cam 2". The snail cam 25! and spider 214 may be relatively secured to rotate as a unit. It is preferable, however, that a limited relative movement of these elements be permitted. For this purpose the snail cam is secured on a sleeve 255 (Figure 10) which sleeve is mounted for rotation about a cut-away portion of the sun gear 255. A lateral extension 255 of the spider 214 projects through an enlarged aperture 255 in cam 25l to permit limited movement of the cam with respect to the spider. A small wire torsion spring 255 i disposed around sleeve 255 and extends between the projection 253 and pin 255 (Figure 8) on the cam, urging the cam to its! extreme counter-clockwise position relative to the spider 214. This construction has the advantage that spring 255 may be temporarily overcome and the cam moved slightly without moving the rest of the functional unit Just described.

The elements just described are assembled in a definite timed relation. The ring gear 216 is welded to the spider 214 after being properly located thereon by passing the lug 215 of the spider through a notch formed in the ring gear for it reception. The lug 255 locates the snail cam, and the relative position of the sun gear 255 on its integral sleeve 215 and the ring gear 216 may be found by a suitable assembly jig. Assembly by skilled mechanics is thus made unnecessary and the three units may be secured in their proper relation by riveting over the end of the sleeve 215 where it extends through the spider.

Located immediately to the right of the mechanism just described is a plate 252 fixed to the spur gear 215 which is driven by the actuator mechanism through an intermediate gear 211 (Figure 5) when the plates 266 are dipped. Plate 252 and gear 215 are rotatably mounted on a sleeve 255 which in turn is rotatably mounted on a sleeve 254 rotatably mounted on shaft 215. The plate 252, which includes an apertured ear 255 (Figure 11) for use in timing, as will presently appear, is fixed to a plate 256 by studs 251 provided at each end of said plate, and on each of said studs is rotatably mounted a planet gear 255 meshing with the ring gear 215 carried by spider 214 and with another sun gear 255 formed integrally with sleeve 255. Thus, the spur gear lower element has made a complete rotation.

This process is known as carrying the tens,-in a machine operating 'according to the decimal system.

Secured to the right end of the above mentioned sun gear sleeve 293 is a spider 300 carrying an internal gear 301, the spider and gear being provided with four lugs 302 (Figure 11) which serve as assembly guides-and as stops, as will be hereinafter described. The spider also includes four apertured ears 303 for use in timing, as will appear.

For the purpose of carrying tens, means are provided for driving the spider 214 (Figure and its associated dial shell 219 by means of the spider 214 of the next lower order independently of any movement of gear 213. This means includes the aforementioned internal gear 306 and another unit subassembly now to be described.

Sleeve 294 which, as previously described, supports the sleeve 293 on shaft 210, is provided with a double arm member 304, one arm 305 (Figure 11) of which is apertured, while to the other, 306, is secured a bushing 3061 in which is rotatably, mounted a, stub shaft 301 with planet gears 308 and 309 fixed thereto. The planet gear 308 meshes with the internal gear 3M on spider 300 while the other planet gear 309 meshes with the sun gear 280 of the adjacent lower order dial shell 219. Sleeve 294 includes an integral spacer 310 so that gear 308 is positioned in alignment with ring gear 301 and does not abut the spider 300, and the end of the sleeve is riveted over to secure member 304, thus providing another unit assembly.

The central portion of member 304 is equipped with a gear segment 311 (Figures 9 and 11) meshing with a similar segment 312 formed on a lever 313 pivoted on the shaft 212 which is. mounted parallel to the shaft 210 in the plates 266. Lever 313 includes an ear 314 extending to the right through an aperture formed in the adjacent plate 266 and engaging a lever 315 (Figure 8) to the right of the plate, said lever being mounted on shait 212 and carrying a roller 316 in the same plane as snail cam 281. Lever 313 is urged clockwise (as viewed in Figures 8 and 9) by a spring 311 so that the roller 316 carried by lever 315 is urged thereby into contact with the adjacent snail cam 281. In the units order the sleeve 293 may be secured directly to the plate 266 adjoining it at the right, inasmuch as there is no lower order from which tens must be carried.

- The units of the register are so designed that they may be simply and positively assembled in timed relationship. In assembling the register, the units shown in perspective in Figure 11, are

assembled on the shaft 210 as it is passed through the plates 255 (Figure 2), each one of the unit assemblies being positioned on the shaft as it is advanced. The previously described unit assemblies are quickly and easily brought into timed with the positioning of the successive units on shaft 210, passing a timing rod indicated by the dot and dash lines 323 through the aperture provided in each unit. Thus the timing rod is first passed through the aperture 328 in the snail cam 281 as appears in Figure 11. The unit assemblies of the planetary gears and gear 213, and ring gear 301, are then placed on shaft 210. The planetary gears are then revolved about shaft 210 until the timing rod will pass through the aperture 295 in the plate 292, as well as through an aperture in one of the ears 303 of spider 300. Arm 304 is then revolved about the shaft 210 until the timing rod can pass through apertured arm 305. When the'rod has been passed through the several apertures in the different sub-assemblies, the whole will be in proper timed relationship. In the same manner the successive orders can be assembled and the carriage thus readily timed. After completely assembling the parts of the register in their proper relative positions the timing rod 323 is, of course, removed.

The arrangement of the several register units permits simultaneous digitation and tens carry, i. e., entry of increments set up on the keyboard, and tens transfer operations, and is therefore of the type known in the art as duplexing.

In operation, the gear 213 is driven by the actuating mechanism and revolves planetary gears 298 about shaft 210 as a center. Where, as in the units order, the sleeve 293 with its sun gear 299 is fixed, this revolution of the gears 298 will, since they are in mesh with sun gear 299, cause them also to rotate about studs 291 and thus drive the ring gear 216 ahead in the direction in which gear 213 is being driven. Since ring gear 216 is fixed to the indicia bearing shell 219, this movement will bring a numeral into view beneath a sight 0pening318 in the carriage cover indicative of the portion of a rotation given gear 213.

Whenever a given amount is thus entered in any one unit of the accumulator, one-tenth of that amount will be entered in the next higher unit by means of the carrying mechanism, providing member 304 be held in a fixed position, which is accomplished during calculation in a manner hereinaiter described. The carrying mechanism which transmits the movement to the higher unit comprises the sun gear 280 fixed to the spider 214 and which drives planetary gears relationship with each other, by simultaneously,

309 and 308; these, in turn, driving internal gear 301 fixed to sleeve 293 of the next higher unit in a direction opposite to that of spider 214 of the lower order, and, by rotating said sleeve, drives sun gear 299 integral therewith. If gear 213 and studs 291 are stationary, the movement of sun gear 299 rotates ring gear 216 in the same direction as that of the lower order dial transmitting the carry. If gear 213 is moving to introduce digitation, ring gear 216 will move by an amount equal to the resultant of that produced by the rotation of gear 299 and that produced by the rotation of gear 213, the movement of the ring gear 216, of course, being the resultant of the movement of the sun gear and the displacement of planetary centers. Thus, the movement of any higher order dial becomes the resultant of the digitation entry into its own order and the carry movement from the next lower order. The gear ratios are in usual practice, of course, such that the carry movement received by the higher order dial is one-tenth of that of the lower order dial.

are provided to prevent movement of the gears 213 except as values are being introduced. This means comprises pawls 3!!) (Figure freely mounted on a shaft 320 Journaled in the various plates 2, each pawl being adapted to be en- 1 gaged with the associated intermediate gear 2" in each order by a spring 3l1 tensioned between the lever 3|! and the respective pawl II! (Figure 9). As described above, the gears 21l mesh directly with the gears of each actuator unit and each pawl I19 therefore acts as a retaining means for one of said gears 21! to retain the respective numeral wheel, being released during actuation of gears 21I, as described in the applications identified above.

Thus, from the foregoing description, it is apparent that rotation of a numeral wheel 219 in any order will cause the numeral wheels in the higher orders or to the left thereof, to also rotate a certain amount successively either in additive or subtractive direction, depending upon the direction of rotation of gears 213, while in all the orders of a lower value or to the right of the last order in which digitation takes place, no such fractional values are entered.

By virtue of this continuous gearing between the various orders, the dials are advanced fractions of positions so that the numerals are not in general, properly lined up at the sight openings SIB at the completion of the cycle of calculation, and, in order to overcome this condition and display a readable indication of the result, mechanisms have been provided which will turn every numeral wheel to proper alignment with said sight opening directly after an actuation.

The mechanism for attaining this lineup operation of said dials comprises the snail cam 28' (Figure 11) which is connected to its respective spider 214, and which cooperates with and serves to position the indirectly spring tensioned lever 3l5 pivoted at 212 as shown in Figure 8. In this figure the snail cam 28I and lever 3I5 are shown in a position in which the roller M6 on said lever contacts the point of greatest radius of said snail cam, which condition represents the zero position of its associated dial wheel 219. The contour of said snail cams is proportioned in such a manner that. as the dial or dial wheel 219 displays each higher digit up to nine, the radius of the cam to the point of roller contact becomes successively smaller until the lowest radius on said cam represents the digit 9 on said numeral wheels. The values increase on the dials as well as on the cams in clockwise direction, so that for addition the dials and cams are rotated in counterclockwise direction and for subtraction in clockwise direction, when viewing the machine from the right hand side.

It will be evident that if the dials were displaying a larger digit, roller 3|8 would contact a shorter radius of cam 21, thereby resulting in the roller lever M5 and the segment lever 3H standing in a position somewhat further clockwise than the positions in which they are shown in Figures 8 and 9. Thus, as the size of the digit displayed by any dial increases, the segment lever M3 to the left thereof is advanced successively further clockwise, so that the upwardly extending arm II thereof comes successively closer to a shaft I which is supported in the carriage braces 25!.

In starting a calculation, the dipping carriage comprising the plates 2" and mechanism carried thereby is rocked down about the shaft 282 until the accumulator gears 2 are brought into mesh with the respective actuator gears I" (Figure 5). As. the dipping carriage is rocked down about shaft 262 into its lowered position, extension arm I! of segment lever 3|! engages shaft 338 thereby rocking segment lever H2 in a. counter-clockwise direction as it moves downwardly, terminating with its slot 84M embracing shaft 229. In this terminal position segment lever 3|! is rocked just slightly further counter-clockwise than the position which it normally occupies when the dial to the right of it registers zero. It will therefore, in this position, permit roller SIB to stand just slightly clear of the maximum radius of cam 2. Thus, if the dials 219 display zero, levers 3 are scarcely displaced by this operation, but if any dial displays a higher digit, its segment is rocked counter-clockwise by an amount substantially proportional to the digit displayed.

With the carriage thus dipped. member 204 (Figures 9 and 11) is held in its rearmost position during the ensuing operation and planetary pinions 308 and 30S revolve on a fixed center, so that each dial is, in general, advanced to a partial position depending on the digitation it has received and the carry from all orders to the right. 'For instance, if the resultant value entered is 2,375, the first dial stands between a 2 and a 3" registration, being 0.375 of the way from the "2 to the 3 registration. The next dial stands 0.75 of the way from a 3" to a "4" registration, and the next 0.5 of the way from a 7 to an "8" registration, and the next dial squarely at a "5 registration.

When the calculation is completed, the dipping carriage is raised, and it is desired to back up each dial by the fractional amount it stands ahead of an even registration to secure a clear registration in the sight openings. To this end, each lever 3l5 (Figures 8 and 9) is allowed to rock clockwise under the tension of the spring 3l1 until roller 316 rests against snail cam 281 which, with the cam shaped as already described, allows lever 3l5 to rock clockwise by an amount proportional to the registration on the dial to which the cam is attached. This rocking of each lever 3l5 rocks each associated member 304 in a counter-clockwise direction, carrying stub shaft 301 forward by an amount proportional to the registration on the dial to the right of it, thus rocking ring gear MI by a corresponding amount proportional to the registration of the next lower order dial, which is the amount by which the dial stood ahead of an even position. The arrangement is therefore such, that each increment of carry received from a lower order will be backed out, upon completion of the calculation, unless the increment amounts to an entire position, in which case the high portion of the snail cam standing under the roller prevents such backing out. The result is that when the dipping carriage is raised, each dial is controlled by the snail cam on the next lower order dial so that the proper figure will be squarely lined up with its sight opening.

The above described planetary tens-carrying system combined with the resilient connections between the numeral wheels and their respective snail cams 28l is disclosed and claimed in the copending Avery application Serial Number 159,523, filed August seventeenth 1939, and since matured into Patent Number 2,222,16t, issued on November 19, 1940.

A counter register is provided for counting machine cycles as disclosed in detail in the Avery applications mentioned at the beginning of this specification and includes a plurality of dials I815 which may be observed through sight openings I814 (Figures 1 and 2) in the carriage cover. The construction of these dials is similar to that of the product or accumulator register to the description of which reference may be had for a detailed description of the construction thereof.

In the present case, the dials i816 are mounted upon a shaft i861 (Figures 5 and '1) extending through and supported by the end plates Mi and the brace plates 255. Each order of the counter unit includes a gear i811 r'otatably mounted upon a shaft I818 being engaged with a gear M19 and its cooperatively associated counter dial ms. Gear i811 is also in mesh with a gear tutti which, in each actuated order may be driven by an actuating finger as described in the aforesaid Avery applications.

Immediately prior to each operation of the counter dials, either clockwise or counter-clock wise, roller carriers I88I (Figure 8), rockable about the shafts 6818, are freed from spring ten sion to permit rollers I882, carried thereby and corresponding to rollers 3m, to move out. of con tact with and out of the path of snail cams i888. This occurs; upon each dip of the dipping carriage, only in the operated order and all orders to the left thereof, and obviates the strain on the mechanism which would result if the rollers had to be backed up the steep rise of the cam i883 in additive operations.

Levers i884 (Figure 9), having the lugs [189,6 thereon extending beneath their corresponding levers I88I, are rocked against the tension of their springs I885 about the shaft i 818, upon each carriage dipping, by a. bar i896 carried by bell cranks IBSI on a rockable shaft 5&2 (Figure 9.). Bar 899 is aligned only with the order being operated and all orders to the left. The lower arms of the bell cranks lie beneath the dipping bail 289 so that each time the dipping carriage dips, bar I 890 rocks downwardly to rock levers I893 about a shaft I896. Levers 6893 have ears I895 which engage tails formed on the levers I884 and thereby rock those levers i885 which are opposite such-of the levers i893 as are engaged by bar I89il. Roller carrier levers ldili (Figure 8), being held against the snail cams only by springs I885, are thus freed from this tension and do not interfere with actuation of the counter in either direction.

Productregister clearing mechanism It may be seen from the foregoing, that if ring gears 38! (Figures 10 and 11) are stopped against movement while segments 3H3 are rocked, the teeth 3I2, meshing with teeth 3i i, will act to rock arms 394 and rotate planetary pinions 3G8 and 309 by feeding pinions 308 over the teeth of locked ring gears Sill. If the gears 21E (Figure 5) are now freed from the retaining or pawling action of the retaining pawls 3R9, the rotation of planetary pinions 399 (Figures 10 and 11) can, since gears 213 are free to rotate, drive gears 280 torotate spiders 214 and their attached numeral wheels 219 backwardly, toward the position in which their zero digits register with the sight openings 3I8. If a stopping means be placed in the path of lugs 218 carried on said 286, are rocking levers numeral wheels to prevent them from being driven beyond zero position, the pawls Bid may be restored to pawling positions and the stopping means withdrawn from ring gears 39 I leaving the numeral wheels 219 aligned in zero position.

This mode of operation is used to reset the product dials to zero, by means of the following mechanism. Mounted for rocking movement with the shaft 3% (Figure 7) supported in plates The shaft 320 is rocked by the automatic clearance mechanism presently to be described, and movement of rocking levers 35d is transmitted to pawls 849 (Figure 9), each pawl having a lateral projection 235i thereon which may be engaged by a shoulder formed on the associated lever 35%) to free the associated gear 2? II.

The lever 5.3% (Figure '1) also acts to effect locking of the ring gears tilt and place zero stops for the numeral wheeh in effective position, and for this purpose is provided with an extension 852 engaging an elongated notch within the lever 3553 rockablymounted on a shaft 21(2, so that,

upon clockwise rocking of lever 35%, lever 353 is forced in a counter-clockwise direction and the lateral projection thereon is placed in its efiective position. The lateral projection 2356 is of suficient Width, as shown in Figure 10, to engage the zero stop projections 218 on the respective dial assembly as well as to engage one of the four projections SE92 on the spider 39K! and gear SSE and limit the latter against movement past zero position during clearing of the register, thus providing the aforementioned stopping means.

It should be noted that there is enough space between each lever 35?] and the lateral projection 35E of its respective pawl 3M3 to allow the lever 353 to start to be moved into stopping position before the pawl is raised from engagement with its respective gear 21 5. This design provides a convenient way of adjusting the various pawls to obtain correct timing, which may be accomplished by, merely bending the projection 525i backward or forward so that the lever 358 will contact the projection 35H just as the lever 353 is being rocked to its stopping position.

Rebound of the dials is prevented by a spring pressed latch 355 (Figure 7), provided on each lever 353, which latch engages the other side of projection 218 on each dial assembly from that engaged by projection 35%, and positively retains each dial shell against rebound. Latch 355 is pivoted at 359 to the lever i353 and is urged into the position shown in Figure '1, relative to the lever 353, by a spring l 355 interposed between a pin on lever and an ear on latch 355 which overlies the forward edge of the lever and thus serves as a stop to limit coimter-clockwise movement of latch 355 beyond that shown.

The clear lever 3% is provided with a yieldable connection to shaft 3%, as shown in Figures 6 and '7, so that if the lug 353 should fall on top of one of the projections 392 on gear Silt the shaft could complete its stroke without damaging the parts. In viewing Figure 6, it will be seen that a member 3&2 is keyed to shaft 32h while the lever 358 is free on the shaft. A torsion spring 363 is tensioned between a stud 3M5 secured to the clear lever 359 and a nose tilt on member 3412, so as to urge the lever 350 counterclockwise (Figure 7) relative to the member 3&2 until the end of stud 3415 abuts the underneath side of nose 3 and serves as a limit stop for the clear lever 350. It will be seen that if shaft 329 is rocked clockwise, as viewed in Figure 7.

and the clear lever III is held. the spring will be merely tightened further and no damage to I only a small increment of angular movement of shaft III and, therefore, a very slight amount of misalignment might otherwise prove detrimental. The dials are returned to zero position upon rocking of shaft III first clockwise and then counter-clockwise, by mechanism comprising lateral projections III on the segments III (Figure 9), which are engaged by extensions III on the respective pawls III when rocked by theshaft III to rock the levers IlI counter-clockwise on the shaft I12 against the pull of the springs Il'l. Teeth III on the segments I'II mesh with the teeth Ill on the arms III to rock arms III clockwise and rotate planetary pinions III and III (Figures 10 and 11), by feeding the former over the teeth of the ring gears III which, by this time, are stopped by the stop lugs III. Since gears I'll are free to rotate, rotation of planetary pinions III and III drives sun gears III to rotate spiders Ill. and their attached numeral wheels I", backwardly to the position in which the zero digits register with sight openings III.

The shaft III is then rocked in a counterclockwise direction back to its normal illustrated position and during this movement lever III on shaft 320 first permits spring Ill to reseat pawls III (Figure between the teeth of gears I'll and thus permit the segments III (Figures 8 and 9) to return under tension of the springs Ill until the engagement of the roller III with the periphery of the snail cam III blocks further movement of the segment III by engagement of the lug III thereon with the roller carrying lever III. For this purpose. the shaft III has keyed thereto a lever III (Figure 4) which is pulled by a spring III in a counterclockwise direction so that, when the shaft III is rocked clockwise to clear the dials, the spring is tensioned. As the power clearance mechanism, to be described, is centralized, this spring returns the shaft III to the position shown in Figure 4, wherein the lever III abuts a pin lI5I, leaving all the zero numerals on the dials aligned with the sight openings. After pawls III (Figure 5) have engaged between the teeth of gears I'll, the latches I55 and stop lugs I54 (Figure 7) are withdrawn from lugs HI and projections III, this sequence of operation insuring against displacement of the dials from zero position during return of shaft III to its normal position.

The above described arrangement of the pawls III, levers III, stop members III and levers III relative to the shaft III, as well as the double function of springs I, not only provides a simplifled mechanism for releasing the numeral wheels and for returning and stopping them at their zero positions, but also enables a compact construction of the carriage 250.

Power operation of product register clearing 1 mechanism To clear the previously described productregistering mechanism it is necessary to rock the clearing shaft III the requisite amount, as has been previously described. Power for rocking the aaomas clearing shaft is transmitted through. a one revolution clutch III (Figures l2, l3, and 15) rotatably mounted on a shaft 8 (Figures 12 and 13). As shown diagrammatically in Figure 14, the driving side of the clutch III is driven by an electric motor III through a coupling III and a train of enmeshed gears III, III, III, III, and III.

The clutch III is controlled by a "middle dial clear key I" situated on the keyboard provided on the stationary body portion of the machine (Figures 1 and 12). The clear key I" is secured to the upper end of a key stem III, which is slidably mounted on a stationary rod I", and pivotally connected at its lower end to a ball I, means of apin IIl This ball is pivotally mounted on a shaft I and has a depending arm pivotally attached to the left end of a link I". A bell crank III is pivoted on a stud I" and has a downwardly extending arm pivoted to the right end of link I", and on the upwardly extending arm of said bell crank is a shoulder stud III which is embraced by the bifurcated forward end of a clutch control lever III rockable on a stationary shaft III. A clutch control dog III is made integral with the control lever I" being connected thereto by a bail I'lIa (Figure 18), and is normally held in the position illustrated in Figure 12, to lock clutch III against rotation, by a spring I82. Thus, the clear clutch III is not effective to transmit power from the motor III until the dog III is moved rearwardly to cause clutch engagement.

The clutch used in this form of clearance is preferably of the irreversible type, in which a ratchet wheel I" (Figure 15) is keyed to the shaft III and constitutes the driving meinber for the clutch. To the clutch housing III is secured a stud III on which is pivoted a dog I'll to form the connection between the ratchet wheel and the clutch housing, and effect disengagement of the clutch by contact of its tip I" with the clutch control dog III (Figure 12). The dog I'll is urged toward engagement with the ratchet wheel III by a torsion spring III, and a stud III is located on the clutch housing to serve as a limit stop for the dog I'll when rocked by the control dog III. The design of the ratchet wheel I" differs from the one disclosed in the Friden Patent Number 1,643,710, referred to in the above Avery application Serial Number 84,927, in that each of the notches provided to receive the clutch dog I'll (Figure 15) has two faces, instead of one, so that when the dog Ill is rocked about its pivot III and seats in one of the notches, it cannot be backed out, as for instance, when a cam follower III (Figure 12) under pressure of the spring clearance would otherwise force cam III (connected intermediate the clear clutch III and the linkage for rocking shaft III) to rock from a high point of contact to a low point of contact, and thus cause the cam to overrun the clutch. This clutch construction thereby provides a positive control of the movement of the cam III and the mechanism actuated thereby.

Motor operation is instituted by closing a pair of switch contacts IIl (Figure 12) located in the motor circuit. To close these contacts, a depending projection III is formed on the lever III which, when the lever is rocked downwardly to retract dog III to engage the clutch III, engages an extension III formed on a bell crank III to rock the bell crank about a shaft III in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 12. The lower arm of bell crank III is lowing the contacts to close.

connected to a lever 388 by a pin and slot connection 381 whereby to rock the lever 388 about a stud 389 and remove a tip 390 thereon away from the rearmost switch contact 39I, thus al- On return of the clearing linkage and key 313 to normal inoperative position by spring 382,- the switch contacts 39I are again allowed to open by the action of a spring 392 which then rocks the bell crank 385 and parts connected thereto, back to the position indicated in Figure 12.

It will be seen from the foregoing that upon depression of key 313, the clutch control dog '38I will be rocked rearwardly against the ac tion of spring 382 to cause clutch engagement, the effect of which will rotate a cam 363 (Figures 12 and 13) keyed on a sleeve I388 integral with the driven side of the clutch 330 and adapted to impart clockwise rocking movement, to a cam follower 364, pivoted at 365 and held against the cam by a spring 366. A link 381 is connected between the upper end of cam follower 3M and a lever 368, splined to a shaft 259.

Shaft 259 supports the forward part of the carriage 250, being journaled in the carriage end plates HI and held against endwise movement relative thereto by retainers 258 (Figure 3) at either end of the shaft. Shaft 259 is slidably and rockably supported in spaced bearings I49 and I50 provided at the upper ends of stationary plates I5I and I52, respectively, (Figures 2 and 4) suitably supported at opposite sides of the main machine body or frame I53 in a manner not shown in detail. Shaft 259 is, therefore, first rocked counter-clockwise by operation of the clutch 360 and thereafter rocked clockwise no matter what the transverse position of the carriage may be at the time.

As shown in Figure 3, the rocking movement of shaft 259 is transmitted to the clear shaft 32d by means of an arrangement comprising identical levers 31f! fixed on opposite ends of the shaft 259, and carrying rollers 31l adapted to cooperate with cam surfaces on levers 312 fixed on opposite ends of the shaft 320. The camming surface on each lever 312 is so designed as to cause the shaft 320 to rock at a rate substantially equal to that of shaft 259 at the beginning of a clearing stroke, but to gradually decelerate the shaft 329 to substantially no movement at the end of said stroke. A greater deceleration of shaft 329 is, however, accomplished by forming the cam 393 with the contour shown in Figure 12, in which it rises, at a rapid rate, through approximately onehalf its total radial camming range or rise in the first one-eighth of rotation thereof in the direction of the arrow A, while the other half of the rise is distributed over an additional one-half of the periphery, to its maximum rise, at a diminishing rate. Approximately the first oneeighth revolution of cam 363 is effective merely to take up all loose connections between the cam and the shaft 320, to raise the pawls M9, and to lower stop lever 3525, which operation is performed mostly at an accelerated rate. Therefore, during the clearance, the dials are returned to zero by the mechanism described hereinbefore at such a diminishing rate that no appreciable jar or noise results therefrom. Furthermore, due to the greater leverage obtained during the latter portion of the stroke, the increased resistance of the tension springs 3H and possibly of the torsionsprings 343 may be easily overcome. Also, the particular interaction between the levers 319 and 312 reduces the tendency of the cam follower 33% to drive the cam 833 ahead of it on its return stroke due to the comparatively large amount of tension applied by the various springs til, 359, 366, etc., especially at the beginning of such return stroke, to rock the shaft 320 back to its starting position.

iowerclearance of the counter register In a machine of this general class, it is necessary to provide means to zeroize the counter register, as well as the product or accumulator register; therefore, an upper dial clear key IQIt (Figures 1 and 12) is juxtaposed the middle dial clear key 313 to set into operation mechanism similar to that described in connection with the automatic clearance of the dials 219, for selectively clearing the counter register dials I815.

A clear clutch ISII (Figures 12 and 13) similar to that illustrated in Figure 15 is controlled by a clutch dog I9I2 carried by a lever I9I3 rockable about the shaft 6G9. Lever I9I3 is connected to key IQW by linkage identical to that connecting the lever 319 to its associated key 313.

Clutch I9II, when engaged, serves to rotate a cam I955 to rock a cam follower ISIS. This cam follower is also pivoted at 365 and is pivotally connected at the upper end thereof to an arm IQI'i, which is splined to a shaft 260. Shaft 230 supports the rear part of the carriage 256 in the same manner that shaft 259 supports the forward part. For this purpose, shaft 239 is journaled in the end plates I of the carriage and is slidably and rockably supported in bearings formed in stationary plates, one of which is shown at 655 (Figure l) extending from oppo-v site sides of the machine body or frame I53. The rocking of the shaft 259 rocks a lever I9I8 (Figure 3), keyed thereto, to move an associated cam lever I92 pinned to a shaft I92I in the same decelerating manner described in connection with levers 3m and 312. Levers I922, similar'to levers 350, are mounted on and yieldably connected to shaft I92I (Figure 7) and each includes a projection I923 lying in a notch I926 of a rocking lever I925 supported on the shaft I819. The rocking of lever I922 brings a latch I926, pivotally mounted on the lever I925, into the path of a zero stop projection I921 on each dial assembly,

- and also positions a projection I928 on lever I925 into the path of one of the four projections I929 of each dial unit, as well as projection I921. Rocking of lever I922 also results in an ear I938 thereon engaging a projection I93I on a pawl I932 (Figure 5) to lift the pawl free of a gear I811 provided in the counter drive gear train for the respective dial wheel. Further movement of lever I922 brings a projection I933 (Figure 9) on the pawl I932 into engagement with an ear I936 of the lever I885. This lever rocks a planetary gear carrier I885 about a supporting shaft I89l to return the respective dial I915 to zero position where it is engaged by the latch I926 (Figure 7) to prevent rebound from said zero position. This latter zeroizing movement is carried out in a manner identical with that described in connection with the dial wheels 2119 of the product register.

Subject matter disclosed but not claimed herein is disclosed and claimed in the application of Avery, Serial No. 376,112 filed January 2'1, 1941, as a division of the present application.

Although I have described and illustrated my invention in a preferred form as embodied in a commercially known Marchant calculating machine,'it is to be understood that the present dis-' means for positioning said second stop member to positively prevent rebound of said wheel from said predetermined position.

2. A register including an indicla bearing wheel, means for turning said wheel to a predetermined position from any other position thereof, a stop member, means operable by said first mentioned means for positioning said stop member to arrest said wheel at said predetermined position, a member carried by said stop member, and means for moving said last mentioned member into position to prevent rebound of said wheel when said wheel reaches said predetermined position.

3. A register including a numeral wheel, means for turning said wheel to a predetermined position from any other position thereof, a projection on said wheel, a stop member, means operable by said first mentioned means for positioning said stop member to engage said projection to stop said wheel when said wheel reach'es said predetermined position, and a latch carried, by said stop member and adapted to latch said projection against rebound when said wheel reaches said zero position.

4. In a register including at least one numeral wheel and planetary gearing including a rockable planetary gear carrier for transmitting rotation to said wheel, a rockable zeroizing shaft, mechanism operable by said shaft upon rocking movement thereof for rocking said gear carrier to move said wheel toward its zero position, a stop member adapted to be positioned to stop rotation of said wheel upon movement thereof to said 'zero position, and mechanism operable by said shaft upon rocking movement thereof for moving said stop member to said stop position; both of said mechanisms including yieldable means.

5. In a register including a rotatable numeral wheel, the combination comprising means for retaining said wheel in any of a plurality of different positions, means for moving said wheel toward its zero position, a member adapted to be moved to a stop position to arrest said wheel at said zero position, a shaft, and yieldable means operable by said shaft on movement thereof for rendering said retaining means ineffective, operating said second mentioned means and moving said member to said stop position.

6. In a register including a rotatable numeral wheel, means for retaining said wheel in any of a plurality of different positions, means for moving said wheel toward its zero position, a member adapted to be moved to a stop position to arrest said wheel at said zero position, a rockable shaft, yieldable means operable by said shaft when rocked from one position to a second position to substantially concurrently render said retaining means ineffective, move said member to said stop position, and substantially thereafter to operate said moving means, and means operable by said shaft when rocked from said second position to ber from said stop position and to render said retaining means effective.

7. In a register including a numeral wheel, means for returning said wheel to zero position from any of ,a plurality of other positions thereof. means for retaining said wheel in any of said positions, means for rendering said retaining means ineffective, a shaft, 0. motor, means operable by said motor to first rock said shaft at an accelerated rate of movement and thereafter at a decelerated rate of movement, means operable by said shaft substantially during said accelerated rate of movement thereof to actuate said means for rendering said retaining means ineffective, and means operable by said shaft substantially during said decelerated rate of movement thereof to actuate said first mentioned means.

8. In a register including at least one numeral wheel and means for returning said wheel toward zero position from any of a plurality of other positions thereof, a member adapted to be positioned to stop said wheel at said zero position. a shaft, a motor, means operable by said motor to first rock said shaft at an accelerated rate of movement and thereafter at a decelerated rate of movement, means operable by said shaft substantially during said accelerated rate of movement thereof to move said member to said stopping position, and means operable by said shaft substantially during said decelerated rate of movement thereof to actuate said first mentioned means.

9. In a register including at least one numeial wheel and means comprising a shaft rockable said first position to positively remove said memfrom one position to a second position for zeroizing said wheel, the combination comprising a second shaft, a pair of members each connected to one of said shafts and forming coacting cam surfaces, a motor, a cam, means for operatively connecting said cam to said motor, and cam follower means operable by said cam to rock said second shaft, said members coacting to rock said first mentioned shaft first at a rate of speed substantially equal to that of said second shaft and thereafter at a substantially decelerated rate relative to that of said second shaft, and said cam and cam follower acting to rock said second shaft at a rapidly accelerated rate of movement at the start of movement of said first mentioned shaft from said first mentioned position to said second position and at a gradually decelerated rate of movement during the major portion of said movement of said first mentioned shaft toward said second position.

10. In a register including at least one numeral wheel, means comprising a member normally in one position and movable to a second position to turn said wheel toward a zero position, a stop member normally in one position and movable to a second position to arrest said wheel at said zero position, and a rockable zeroizing shaft, the combination comprising a retaining member free on said shaftand normally retaining said wheel in any of a plurality of different positions,-an actuating member on said shaft and operable on rocking of said shaft to rock said retaining member to free said wheel therefrom and to move said stop member to its second position, and means operable by said retaining means upon operation thereof by said shaft to move said first mentionedmember to said second position thereof after said wheel is freed from said retaining member.

11. In a register including a numeral wheel, a cam operatively connected thereto, and planetary gearing comprising a rockable planetarygean carrier for transmitting rotation to said wheel, the combination comprising a spring for maintaining said gear carrier in operative relation to said cam to be rocked by movement of said cam, a zeroizing shaft, a member on said shaft adapted to be positioned to restrain said wheel from rotation, means comprising said spring for maintaining said member in said restraining position, means operable on movement of said shaft to move said member out of said restraining position, and means operated by said member upon movement thereof for rocking said gear carrier against the action of said spring.

12. In a register including an indicia bearing wheel, a cam operatively connected thereto, and means comprising a rockable member operable on rocking movement of said member to turn said wheel, the combination comprising a second rockable member adapted to be moved to a position to retain said wheel in any of a plurality of different positions, a spring extending between said members to normally maintain said first mentioned member in operative relation to said cam to be rocked thereby and to normally maintain said second member in said retaining position, a zeroizing shaft, and means operated by movement of said shaft to rock said first mentioned member against the action of said spring to turn said wheel, and means also operated by movement of said shaft to move said second mentioned member against the action of said spring and out of 15 retaining position.

HAROLD T. AVERY. 

